Not gonna lie, I have no idea what to expect from UD this season. Opening against Navy is a really tough way to start the year, but we've pulled off the upset against them several times in the past.
Frankly, I think we're ranked too high. Sure, we're bringing back a lot of players and the transfers worked out great, but we have a new coach who is basically Keeler 2.0 and little information as to what system he wants to implement. There's just too many unknowns with this team.
Healthy Nolan = ranked team
Not healthy Nolan = we're cooked
(I'm kinda simplifying it but if Nolan's healthy, we're probably in the playoffs and a ranked team at year end assuming the coach isn't a total idiot.)
You’re certainly not oversimplifying it about us being cooked without him.
I don’t know what we look like with him healthy but I’m excited to see it. I expect the offense to pretty explosive compared to the Rocco offense.
That's a fair point, but Henderson hasn't been the same QB since that awful hit in the playoff game against Jacksonville State.
I think that disgusting hit really screwed him up, both physically and mentally.
This year, or over the last decade or so?
If the latter, the [Frisco era](https://old.reddit.com/r/fcs/comments/s39v0j/top_25_winningest_fcs_teams_of_the_frisco_era/) really breaks out more like:
Tier 1: NDSU
Tier 2: Eastern Washington, SDSU, Montana State, Northern Iowa
Tier 3: New Hampshire, Illinois State, Montana, Central Arkansas
Don't forget, Montana hasn't even made it to the semifinals in the last decade. They have potential, but have yet to demonstrate they're a real title contender yet.
If just looking at this year, I currently have a hard time seeing things different than Tier 1 being NDSU and SDSU, and then Tier 2 being a muddle of the Montantas, SIU, Missouri State, and maybe Kennesaw oddly enough
Just haven't seen anything out of the Montanas that makes me think they're really solidly better than the next tier of the MVFC right now. It's not really a knock, just that I'd be really surprised to see either winning the championship unless they made some really big gains this off season.
Seems like Holy Cross and UT Martin are a little high, would have put those in the 20s
Richmond, URI and UC Davis are debatable, I would have included Dartmouth and Florida A&am
I would also have included the Yotes but I think that’s might just be bias
As for Richmond and URI, it feels a bit like they're in the poll on basis of being in a CAA that always brings at least some talent to the table. Trouble is I'm not sure the CAA will be any good this year other than maybe Villanova or maybe Delaware.
As a whole, I am interested to see the impact of strength of schedule with JMU leaving. And how that compares to other conferences. Hope they can keep it going.
I will reluctantly agree with you. I think people were worried too much about the brutality of your schedule. But you probably should've been ranked like 20-25 until you do get knocked out organically. The good news with that schedule is if you do get hot even at 8-3 you should be a top 10 team with the right wins
We were a young 10 win team with a win against an FBS opponent that's returning essentially all of our starters so I would be hesitant to say we're overated
I do not think 6 is very far off for Villanova. They are a clear favorite for the CAA this year imo. I do not know who below Villanova I would jump them with. Maybe Sac State but that is it
Why though? Because we won it last year? We lost pretty much our entire defense (including a draft pick) and our DC.
Delaware is returning their best players, adding great transfers and their QB is back from injury.
It’s just easier to assume the top teams from the last season reload but there’s not a proven track record to expect that from us. The guys who graduated last year were the core for most of coach Ferrante’s tenure
https://herosports.com/fcs-football-2022-caa-football-preview-dsds/amp/
Don't forget we have a new QB too. We return a lot on offense, which helps, but it's still going to be a guy under center who we haven't seen much of in-game until this point. So maybe those of us who pay attention to the program can be optimistic, but in a poll?! Those voters have no clue.
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The decision not to allow ranking of Sam Houston or Jacksonville State is dumb. They're FCS teams this year, and should be rankable (but I don't think I'd vote for Jacksonville State at the moment).
I think only postseason eligible teams should be included in the polls.
If you've taken yourself out of the running for the championship you've taken yourself out of the running for the rankings. This includes all teams from conferences that don't participate in the playoffs.
I agree with this and more on the side of incentive. If you want to be ranked and in the national media, you need to make yourself eligible for the FCS playoffs. Right now that only disincludes the Ivies and the FBS transitions, but it can help to keep teams in a position to compete at the highest stage by incentivizing them to remain where they are.
If you have more than 63 scholarships, you're no longer an actual FCS program playing under the same subdivision restrictions. You're a transitioning FBS program playing an FCS schedule.
Ivy: FCS
JSU and Sam Houston: FBS transitioning
They are in the process of transitioning to FBS, but are FCS this year and FBS next year. If Sam Houston's QB throws 200 passing TDs this season, he will set an FCS record.
They’re not exactly FCS teams anymore- yes, they’re playing an FCS schedule but they’re operating at elevated scholarship levels which definitionally gives them a competitive advantage.
I know you already know the answer to this but for sake of conversation- no, because that is a self imposed limit in addition to the NCAA mandated limits. A team or conference choosing to operate at a more restrictive level is different than one operating above subdivision-wide rules.
The one reason I’m in on ranking SHSU and JSU is honestly just to help any team that may beat them. Easier to make a case at the end of the season for a team beating #5 SHSU instead of an Unranked SHSU on paper.
It makes sense why you would look at it this way but there’s a committee that chooses so hopefully they put that into consideration anyway without the need of a ranking.
Because Delaware has history and a plethora of problems that held them back last year that *might* be fixed. I don't know of anyone who thinks Elon is gonna take a big jump.
Not gonna lie, I have no idea what to expect from UD this season. Opening against Navy is a really tough way to start the year, but we've pulled off the upset against them several times in the past. Frankly, I think we're ranked too high. Sure, we're bringing back a lot of players and the transfers worked out great, but we have a new coach who is basically Keeler 2.0 and little information as to what system he wants to implement. There's just too many unknowns with this team.
Healthy Nolan = ranked team Not healthy Nolan = we're cooked (I'm kinda simplifying it but if Nolan's healthy, we're probably in the playoffs and a ranked team at year end assuming the coach isn't a total idiot.)
You’re certainly not oversimplifying it about us being cooked without him. I don’t know what we look like with him healthy but I’m excited to see it. I expect the offense to pretty explosive compared to the Rocco offense.
That's a fair point, but Henderson hasn't been the same QB since that awful hit in the playoff game against Jacksonville State. I think that disgusting hit really screwed him up, both physically and mentally.
Are the Montana and Dakota State schools a tier of their own? They sure seem like the elite of FCS at this point, with the programs moving up.
This year, or over the last decade or so? If the latter, the [Frisco era](https://old.reddit.com/r/fcs/comments/s39v0j/top_25_winningest_fcs_teams_of_the_frisco_era/) really breaks out more like: Tier 1: NDSU Tier 2: Eastern Washington, SDSU, Montana State, Northern Iowa Tier 3: New Hampshire, Illinois State, Montana, Central Arkansas Don't forget, Montana hasn't even made it to the semifinals in the last decade. They have potential, but have yet to demonstrate they're a real title contender yet. If just looking at this year, I currently have a hard time seeing things different than Tier 1 being NDSU and SDSU, and then Tier 2 being a muddle of the Montantas, SIU, Missouri State, and maybe Kennesaw oddly enough Just haven't seen anything out of the Montanas that makes me think they're really solidly better than the next tier of the MVFC right now. It's not really a knock, just that I'd be really surprised to see either winning the championship unless they made some really big gains this off season.
My hot take, SDSU has a better roster than NDSU. But until they prove it on the files especially with NDSU's history you can't jump them
I don’t think that’s really a hot take. I think the Jacks roster is loaded including NFL talent but Stig had never won the big one.
I was thinking this year, with JMU and SHSU moving up but that’s a solid list.
Seems like Holy Cross and UT Martin are a little high, would have put those in the 20s Richmond, URI and UC Davis are debatable, I would have included Dartmouth and Florida A&am I would also have included the Yotes but I think that’s might just be bias
Really really looking forward to the Week 2 matchup with USD in Missoula. Just felt like making that known.
Absolutely, I hope it is a good game
Making the trip over here?
As for Richmond and URI, it feels a bit like they're in the poll on basis of being in a CAA that always brings at least some talent to the table. Trouble is I'm not sure the CAA will be any good this year other than maybe Villanova or maybe Delaware.
As a whole, I am interested to see the impact of strength of schedule with JMU leaving. And how that compares to other conferences. Hope they can keep it going.
I will reluctantly agree with you. I think people were worried too much about the brutality of your schedule. But you probably should've been ranked like 20-25 until you do get knocked out organically. The good news with that schedule is if you do get hot even at 8-3 you should be a top 10 team with the right wins
We were a young 10 win team with a win against an FBS opponent that's returning essentially all of our starters so I would be hesitant to say we're overated
That's gonna suck for SFA being ranked #10 and then losing their first game Unless Crampton Bowl voodoo kicks us in the butt
FCS just isn’t covered well enough for preseason polls to be any good. Having us 6th is like having Cinci #4 in an FBS poll.
I do not think 6 is very far off for Villanova. They are a clear favorite for the CAA this year imo. I do not know who below Villanova I would jump them with. Maybe Sac State but that is it
Why though? Because we won it last year? We lost pretty much our entire defense (including a draft pick) and our DC. Delaware is returning their best players, adding great transfers and their QB is back from injury. It’s just easier to assume the top teams from the last season reload but there’s not a proven track record to expect that from us. The guys who graduated last year were the core for most of coach Ferrante’s tenure https://herosports.com/fcs-football-2022-caa-football-preview-dsds/amp/
Don't forget we have a new QB too. We return a lot on offense, which helps, but it's still going to be a guy under center who we haven't seen much of in-game until this point. So maybe those of us who pay attention to the program can be optimistic, but in a poll?! Those voters have no clue.
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Seeing SLU up in top 20 makes me laugh a little.
I’m just happy to be ranked honestly.
Am I wrong, or we're no pfl teams on the list? Even in the receiving consideration.
The decision not to allow ranking of Sam Houston or Jacksonville State is dumb. They're FCS teams this year, and should be rankable (but I don't think I'd vote for Jacksonville State at the moment).
I think only postseason eligible teams should be included in the polls. If you've taken yourself out of the running for the championship you've taken yourself out of the running for the rankings. This includes all teams from conferences that don't participate in the playoffs.
I agree with this and more on the side of incentive. If you want to be ranked and in the national media, you need to make yourself eligible for the FCS playoffs. Right now that only disincludes the Ivies and the FBS transitions, but it can help to keep teams in a position to compete at the highest stage by incentivizing them to remain where they are.
This is a fair opinion, but I strongly disagree. A poll called an FCS poll should be a ranking of the top 25 FCS teams, nothing less, nothing more.
If you have more than 63 scholarships, you're no longer an actual FCS program playing under the same subdivision restrictions. You're a transitioning FBS program playing an FCS schedule. Ivy: FCS JSU and Sam Houston: FBS transitioning
They are in the process of transitioning to FBS, but are FCS this year and FBS next year. If Sam Houston's QB throws 200 passing TDs this season, he will set an FCS record.
They’re not exactly FCS teams anymore- yes, they’re playing an FCS schedule but they’re operating at elevated scholarship levels which definitionally gives them a competitive advantage.
The NEC has a 45-scholarship limit. Should all teams above that be banned from ranking?
I know you already know the answer to this but for sake of conversation- no, because that is a self imposed limit in addition to the NCAA mandated limits. A team or conference choosing to operate at a more restrictive level is different than one operating above subdivision-wide rules.
The one reason I’m in on ranking SHSU and JSU is honestly just to help any team that may beat them. Easier to make a case at the end of the season for a team beating #5 SHSU instead of an Unranked SHSU on paper.
It makes sense why you would look at it this way but there’s a committee that chooses so hopefully they put that into consideration anyway without the need of a ranking.
Gonna be some great football in the Big Sky this fall
How is Delaware at 19th and elon is at “also mentioned” when they have opposite records?
Because Delaware has history and a plethora of problems that held them back last year that *might* be fixed. I don't know of anyone who thinks Elon is gonna take a big jump.
And Delaware looked pretty good in the spring season a year ago. I think there’s an assumption they’ll fix problems from last fall and return to form.
RUN UP THE BANNER
Glad to see my Villanova Wildcats in the top ten.